Prospect Spotlight: Jalen Ned (2020)

Without a doubt, De La Salle 6-foot point guard Jalen Ned is one of the state’s premier young prospects, and schools like USC and Tulane have made that point very clear.

Ned, an Elfrid Payton Elite product, sports offers from the Trojans and Green Wave and has some interest coming in from Northwestern State. Oh, and he’s a standout on the football field, too… with an offer from Kentucky.

We recently caught up with the sophomore sensation, and he mentioned to PHLA his style of play, strengths and areas that may need improvement still.

“My strengths are 3-point shooting and mid-range, also driving to the hoop and finishing. I’d also say athleticism, ball-handling and free-throw shooting are strengths,” said Ned.

“I need to work on my floater, being more consistent, and just being more assertive.”

Last season, as a freshman with the Cavaliers, Ned averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

This season, he’s a veteran and on a young team, and says the goal is to simply help his guys improve.

“The first half of the season could have been better, but it was alright. My role is to distribute the ball, be tough, play tough defense and score at all three levels,” said Ned.

“The goal is to keep getting better as a team each day, especially since we’re a young team.”

Last spring and summer, Ned was fantastic with EP Elite, going for 16.7 points and 2.3 steals per game. He says he’ll be back with the renowned program for his 16U season, and could see a sharp spike in his recruitment then.